


The Telling

by CupcakeGirlA



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alpha Scott McCall, Beta Derek Hale, Choices, Confrontations, Derek Hale Feels, Derek and Stiles are Mates, F/M, M/M, Mates, One Shot, Secrets, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Werewolf Mates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-07
Updated: 2013-10-07
Packaged: 2017-12-28 18:33:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/995156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CupcakeGirlA/pseuds/CupcakeGirlA
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“What? Derek? What the fuck is she talking about? Mates isn’t a thing. And if it was, yours wouldn’t be me. Tell her!” Stiles is looking at him with desperation, eyes flicking from him to Cora and back over and over.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Telling

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to foreverblue_navy for the beta and the encouragement. You're the best. :D

“What? Derek? What the fuck is she talking about? Mates isn’t a thing. And if it was, yours wouldn’t be me. Tell her!” Stiles is looking at him with desperation, eyes flicking from him to Cora and back over and over. 

“It doesn’t matter,” Derek replies, shaking his head. He glares at Cora. “This won’t solve anything. He doesn’t deserve this. He’s made his choices.”

“What the fuck are you saying? Choices? Derek? Tell me this is a big lie! Tell me she’s making this up!” Stiles shouts. Derek closes his eyes. 

“Cora, leave us.” She starts to protest but Derek glares. “Leave us,” says through gritted teeth. Cora snarls, but turns around and stalks out of the apartment. 

“Derek?” Stiles says questioningly. Derek steps closer to him, reaching out to put a hand high on Stiles’ shoulder.

“I’m sorry you heard that way. I never wanted you to know. Not like this. Just forget she said anything,” Derek says. Stiles stares at him with wide confused eyes. Mouth open with horror.

“It’s true isn’t it? We’re like werewolf fated to be married or something, aren’t we?” Stiles asks. He turns away, slumping down to sit on a chair. “You were going to let me marry her, knowing it would never work out? You just didn’t care how that would hurt her, or me? You were just going to let it happen?” Stiles asks, growing angry. 

“No! Never! It doesn’t work like that!” Derek replies. 

“Well then explain it to me! Tell me how it does work! Because I’m supposed to get married in two days, I just found out I’m mated to my ex-alpha-werewolf-groomsmen!” Stiles screams. Derek takes a calming deep breath before responding. 

“It’s not like that. You’re human, Stiles. Humans don’t have mates. You fall in love and get married and have relationships that are based on chemistry, and attraction, and emotional compatibility. It’s about passion and love, and sex. You make and break ties as you choose too and that’s just the way it is! There was no reason to tell you. It wouldn’t have changed anything.” Derek’s explanation has Stiles calming considerably. “Your relationship is not fated for failure because of this. None of them have been. Sometimes things work out and sometimes they don’t. But it’s not because of this,” Derek sits back into his seat beside Stiles, looking away. 

“So if I marry Julie this won’t affect things?” Stiles asks. Derek shakes his head. 

“Of course it won’t. I’ve never interfered in any of your relationships. And I won’t. I want you to find happiness, Stiles. You deserve it,” he explains. 

“Then what does it mean? That I’m your mate?” Stiles asks. Derek sighs. 

“It means I’m attracted to you. That I know we would be great together. That being with you would be natural, and in some ways ideal.” 

“So am I like it for you?” Stiles asks. “Don’t you get to be happy too?” 

“Of course I do. Not every werewolf finds a mate, and few get to be with them. You’re not sentencing me to a loveless life by marrying the girl of your choosing.” 

“But why didn’t you tell me? When did you know?” 

“I knew when you were 16. After the Darach. You…” he looks away. “You were strong and smart, and you trusted me. And I just knew. Once I realized it, there was no hiding from it. Not for me.” 

“So is that why you left? To hide it from me?” Stiles asks. Derek rolls his eyes. 

“I left because I needed to get away from Beacon Hills for a while. Because I needed to reconnect with Cora, to get her someplace safe. Putting some distance between us was an… added bonus.” 

“So you were hiding from me? Why didn’t you tell me? Don’t I get a choice in the matter?”

“No. Stiles you were 16. And you did get a choice. You chose Julie.” 

“I didn’t know I was your mate! That’s an important factor!”

“How? How is that crucial information? Stiles, you never made a move. You never indicated you wanted anything from me but friendship. If you were going to choose me it needed to be because that was what you really wanted. Not because I came up and told you my wolfy senses said we should go for it. You can’t tell me that wouldn’t have forced your hand. You’re doing it right now. I can see it. You’re worrying if Julie is a mistake, if you should call it off,” Derek stands up, and shrugs into his jacket. “You love her, and you’re good together. If you wanted to marry her yesterday, then you still should want to marry her today, regardless.” Stiles watches him pick up his phone, heading for the door. 

“Hey, Derek,” he says, making Derek pause and turn around. “If you were attracted to me, and you knew we would be awesome together, then why didn’t you make a move?” he watches Derek’s face crumple with disgust, “no, dude! I completely understand why you didn’t say anything when I was 16. I was kind of a little shit and my dad was the sheriff! But,” he trails off, looking away, and then back. “Derek I’ve been grown up for quite a while now. And you’ve been back in Beacon Hills for even longer than that.” He stands up, stepping closer to Derek. “You said I never indicated that I wanted something more, but you could have.” Derek smirks just a little, and looks away. 

“Yeah, I guess I could have. But it never seemed like the right time.”

“You still should have told me,” Stiles whispers, face turning serious. Derek sighs and nods. 

“I should have. But the longer I waited the harder it seemed. You love Julie. You do. And I’m so happy for you. When you proposed I knew I would never tell you. Cora obviously disagreed,” he grimaces and Stiles rolls his eyes. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow?” Stiles asks. Derek nods in reply. 

“Yes, I can’t wait to see Scott trying to keep everyone in line, especially since I heard a little rumor that a certain Dr. Martin has perfected aconite alcohol…” Derek teases. The smile that stretches across Stiles face at the news makes Derek hide a grin. “Night,” he says. 

“Goodnight,” Stiles replies waving him off and flopping back onto his apartment couch. 

It’s as he’s climbing into his car, that Derek senses him. He hates that Scott can sneak up on him now. It’s one of the real pitfalls of being a beta. His relationship with Scott has done a 180 in the last few years, progressing into a real friendship, even if Derek will never be as close to Scott as Isaac or Stiles are. He stops mid motion, standing back up and turning around to lean back against the rear door. He crosses his arms over his chest and relaxes, when he sees Scott leaning back against the car next to his, shoulders down and dimples out. 

“He’s your mate?” Scott asks. Derek fights not to roll his eyes. 

“Yes, not that it matters,” he replies. It’s a half a second before Scott’s whole demeanor changes. He stands up straight, forehead creasing, and smile disappearing. 

“I think it does matter, Derek. Why didn’t you tell me?” 

“I didn’t tell Stiles, why should I have told you?” 

“I don’t know, maybe because I’m your alpha? Because it’s my job to keep the pack together. To keep us strong. Stiles doesn’t know what this means. Not really. I could have helped you.” Derek frowns, thinking carefully before answering. 

“What do you think I’m trying to do? Think about it Scott, you know Stiles better than anyone. You know what he’s like. What would he do if he really really knew?” Derek watches the expression on Scott’s face grey over, his eyes going wide. “Exactly. He’d sacrifice, just like he always does. He loves Julie. You can hear it when he talks about her, see it and smell it when he sees her walk into a room. If he knew… he’d break his own heart to avoid breaking mine, and I won’t let him do that. He deserves better.”

“You act like you’d be a punishment, a curse. Like he couldn’t be happy with you. That’s not true, Derek. You’d be great together.” 

“We would, but if that was what he really wanted he’d have told me years ago.” 

“Like you did?” Scott shoots back, exasperated. It only pisses Derek off. 

“Everyone in the pack knows that I’m the emotionally constipated one, Scott! Stiles, meanwhile is the one person in the pack who can’t ever hide how he feels when he likes someone. There was Lydia, and then Danny, and then Becky and Ben, and now Julie. He was painfully obvious each and every time. Telling him would have pressured him. Explaining now would only force him into making a choice for the good of the pack, damn the consequences to himself. I won’t do that.” Scott’s expression softens. 

“And what about you? I’m just supposed to let you hurt, let you be miserable for the rest of your life?” Scott asks. Derek shrugs. 

“I’ve been dealing just fine for 7 years, Scott. And I won’t be miserable. I’ll deal with it, just like I have been all this time.” 

“I know what it was like when Allison and I were apart. I know how bad it was. I don’t want that for you,” Scott says, voice sympathetic. Derek smiles just a little. 

“And I appreciate that. But you and Allison were together and broke up. It’s not the same situation.” With that Derek turns to get into his car. But Scott speaks up again behind him, freezing him in his tracks. 

“You’re never going to find another mate, Derek. You’ll never find someone as good a match for you as Stiles. And it will always hurt.” 

Derek turns to look at him again. 

“I know.” 

“Then tell him. Tell him you’re in love with him.” 

“No. It’s my choice to do this for him. He has a chance to be happy. To marry his dream girl and go off and lead a human life with a human girl. To have babies, and go to PTA meetings. The further away he is from me the safer he’ll be. You have to let me give him this,” Derek pleads. 

“Fine. But someday you’re going to regret this,” Scott warns. Derek looks down. 

“Maybe, but not today,” he replies. 

And with that he gets in his car and he drives away. 

Scott huffs in irritation as he watches him go, and only after the car has turns the corner and disappears from his sight does he turn and looks up at the apartment building. He finds Stiles’ window and focusing listens in as Stiles laughs into his phone, Julie’s tiny voice just barely audible through his cellphone speaker laughing in tandem. Scott closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, and turns, jogging away.

**Author's Note:**

> ugh... I need a vacation.


End file.
